Podcast Episodes

Educational Eligibility, Clinical Diagnosis, and the “Just Be Like Finland” Argument (with Dr. Chrishawn Finister)

Episode 241

Every few years, conversations about education in the U.S. circle back to the same refrain: Why can’t we be more like Finland?

In this episode, I sit down with Dr. Chrishawn Finister from Your Joy Psy…

Published on 12 hours ago

What words should I target in language therapy?

Episode 240

Most of us know that it’s important to work on vocabulary in language and literacy intervention.

But how do we know what words to pick? Should we be working on specific words, or should we be focusing…

Published on 1 week ago

A Case for Talking about the “Summer Slide” in the Fall (featuring David Schipper)

Episode 239

Every time I look into research on the summer slide, I get more confused. It’s no wonder professionals and families are scrambling every May as they think about how kids should be spending their time…

Published on 2 weeks ago

What “Biologically Secondary” Means for Literacy Instruction (featuring Dr. Pamela Snow)

Episode 238

The idea that exposing kids to enriching literacy and play-based experiences will effectively teach them to read and write sounds nice on paper.

Unfortunately, it’s not in-line with the large and grow…

Published on 3 weeks ago

The Relationship Between Language Skills and Discipline Referrals (featuring Dr. Shameka Stewart)

Episode 237

When schools respond to “behavior problems” in students, the focus is often on the symptom, not the cause. 

Failing to look beyond the surface behavior does a disservice to students, which is why in t…

Published on 4 weeks ago

Building the Literacy Skills Needed for Technology and Life (featuring Tom Parton)

Episode 236

“We don’t need to work on decoding because students have access to assistive technology and accommodations.”

“We don’t work on word-decoding in high school.”

“Working on reading in high school is too l…

Published on 1 month ago

Engaging Families and the Role of Tech in Addressing Book Deserts (featuring Cassandra Williams)

Episode 235

In this episode, I reflect on my conversation with my colleague Cassandra Williams as we discuss book and resource deserts, as well as how to engage with school communities. 

In the interview clip I s…

Published on 1 month, 1 week ago

Navigating Language Therapy as the Only SLP in the District

Episode 234

Ever feel overwhelmed being the only SLP in your district without a network of fellow clinicians for support? You're not alone; many in similar situations face these challenges.

In this episode, I’m s…

Published on 1 month, 2 weeks ago

Case Study: Shouldn’t I have language therapy figured out by now?

Episode 233

Ever feel like you should have language therapy figured out by now, but you're still struggling? Even experienced clinicians can feel that way.

In this episode, I’m sharing a case study of a seasoned …

Published on 1 month, 3 weeks ago

Balancing Language, Academic Content Areas, and Executive Functioning (featuring Jill Fahy)

Episode 232

What if choosing between language and executive functioning for your students wasn't an "either/or" decision? And how can we effectively balance academic content with broader cognitive skills? It's a…

Published on 2 months ago